AustrianGP - Qualifying - ForceIndia Quotes

Nico Hulkenberg, 5th
“I’m feeling very happy with how things went today. We knew we had a good chance to be in the top ten, so to be starting in fifth place is an excellent effort by the team. Q1 was fun on the drying track, but in Q2 and Q3 I found a really good rhythm and was able to deliver the laps when it mattered. I’m feeling happy and confident in the car at the moment and I think that showed with the result today. Tomorrow will be a tough race because there are some quick cars behind us, but we’ve already built a good foundation for a strong race. This track can sometimes spring surprises and we still don’t know what the weather will do tomorrow, but if we maximise things I’m sure we can score some good points.”

Sergio Perez, 16th
 “It's very disappointing to drop out in Q1, especially because we had the potential to get a very good result. Today was quite a challenge on the drying track and it was not easy to find a good position and build up the right rhythm. Unfortunately, with the track getting faster and faster towards the end of Q1, the last lap was the one that had to count. I found myself right behind Fernando [Alonso] and I spent the whole lap behind him. I couldn't get any closer as I would have lost all my downforce, and I had Kimi [Raikkonen] behind me so I couldn't drop back. It made it very difficult for me and in the end I was less than a tenth off the time I needed to make Q2. Despite today's result, I still feel positive about tomorrow: it's going to be complicated starting just outside the top ten, but if we do a good job we should be able to make up the lost ground.”


Robert Fernley, Deputy Team Principal
“Fifth place on the grid for Nico is a tremendous effort and a well-deserved result for the team. The car has been performing well here and Nico had a great run this afternoon putting together some fantastic laps. It’s a shame that Sergio was not able to join him in the top ten, but those sessions on a drying track are always a bit of a lottery and on this occasion he just missed out. With some other cars picking up penalties we expect him to start from P13, so there’s every chance to progress and challenge for points. Our long run pace yesterday looked competitive and we also need to keep an eye on the weather with the possibility of more rain tomorrow.”

Formula1.com
 

AustrianGP - Friday Practice - Force India Quotes

Nico Hulkenberg
FP1 - 13th, FP2 - 6th
"Our afternoon session was a big improvement over the morning: we made some changes to the car that turned out to be positive and allowed us to make the most of the soft tyres, which continue to suit our car well. It was a straightforward Friday, especially as the rain that everyone expected didn't come. I am satisfied with my pace over the long runs, even though I don't have any reference against our rivals just yet: it is something I will need to look at with my engineers tonight. This is a short track so all gaps will be very small in qualifying: one or two tenths can mean a difference of three or four places. It will be crucial to optimise our set-up in final practice to get tomorrow afternoon right."

Sergio Perez
FP1 - 10th, FP2 - 10th
"I’m feeling positive about today's work. We showed good pace in both sessions, even though Nico and I went in different directions when it came to set-up. The track keeps evolving and there was quite a big track improvement between the morning and the afternoon. The main priority was to get good tyre data and with the high number of laps today we have all the information we need."

Robert Fernley, Deputy Team Principal
"Starting a race weekend on a damp track is never ideal and it meant track evolution was magnified compared to the norm. In fact, the threat of rain was present for most of the day, but fortunately it stayed away in the afternoon. We covered a lot of laps today – 168 between the two cars – which has given us all the necessary information heading into the weekend. We made some good progress with the set-up and, despite the low track temperatures, both drivers appear happy with the balance. As a lap, this is short and intense: the margins between drivers will be very small in qualifying and it will be important to make every lap count. The weather remains a big question mark as it could go either way on both Saturday and Sunday, but we will be prepared whatever the circumstances."

Formula1.com 
 

Austrian GP - Preview - Force India Driver quotes

Nico Hulkenberg
"Finishing in the points in Canada was an important result for me. I had a great feeling with the car and everything came together nicely. I think we have a good opportunity for another strong result in Austria. I had never raced on this track before last year - not even in the junior formulas - so it was a new experience for me. It's a fun track and it flows nicely, but there are a few corners that can catch you out, so it's not easy to get a good lap together. It's one of those tracks that looks easier on paper because it's actually quite technical in many areas.
"Austria is a great place to race: the track is in a beautiful setting in the mountains and there's a very relaxed atmosphere. Without the German Grand Prix this year, I expect a lot of German fans to come to Austria this year so there should be a big crowd once again."

Sergio Perez
"The race in Austria is one I'm really looking forward to, both for the driving and everything that is around the event. The circuit has a simple layout and few corners and so the margins between drivers are smaller compared to some other tracks. It means a mistake in qualifying can set you back a long way. It requires a lot of concentration but it's fun to drive, with elevation changes and some very tricky corners.

"Not scoring in Canada was a disappointment so I want to make up for that in Austria. Last year it was not an easy race for me, starting far down the order [P16 following a grid penalty], but we had a brilliant race, scored well and set the fastest lap of the race.

"I remember getting to the Red Bull Ring for the first time last year, having never raced there, and meeting the fans. They had been waiting for the race for a long time and they helped create a great atmosphere. The Austrians have a great passion for Formula One - just like the Mexicans - and they are very proud of their Grand Prix."

Vijay Mallya, team principal
"Sahara Force India heads to Austria with a lot of positivity following a competitive showing in Canada. 21 points from seven races is a solid effort and keeps us well placed in the championship as we approach the middle of the season. The four points in Montreal were an important boost for Nico, who was a bit unlucky in Monaco and it's good to see him back in the points.

"Of course, this weekend's race is the first event to take place after Nico's incredible Le Mans victory. The 24 Hours is one of the great spectacles of motorsport: it is an amazing race that demands total commitment from drivers and cars. Nico's performance displayed his immense talent and made all of us at Sahara Force India proud. I truly hope he will be boosted by this success and translate it into another great performance in Austria.

"There's been a lot of talk about the development of the VJM08 and we are still on course to introduce an important step in Silverstone next month. In the meantime, the team has done well to squeeze more performance from our current package. The high-speed layout of Canada certainly played to the strengths of the Mercedes engine and, as Austria is regarded as another 'power' circuit', I would like to think we can be in the top ten once again."

Formula1.com 
 

Canadian GP - Race - Force India Drivers Quotes

Nico Hulkenberg, 8th
“I am very happy to come away from here with four points - that's definitely some positive news. It was not the most eventful race and I was by myself most of the time, except for the battle with Sebastian [Vettel]. In hindsight I probably shouldn't have tried so hard to defend against Seb, but when you're a racer you just don't want to give up a position without a fight. He took the outside line, I was on the inside, braking on the dirt and the marbles. I could see it coming but he didn't leave me anywhere to go so to avoid contact I kept braking, lost the rear and spun. Fortunately I was able to get going and didn’t lose too much time. Overall it’s been a positive weekend: we keep finding good performance from our VJM08 and the team is pushing hard to find more speed. We’ve had a good run in the last few races, with Checo scoring in Monaco and my points today. It means we are making good progress and we're closing in on fifth in the championship, so the second half of the season should be very interesting.”
Sergio Perez, 11th
“It was a tough race today and I just didn’t have enough pace to finish in the points. In the first stint I was suffering with a lot of understeer and couldn’t really attack the cars ahead of me. The main battle was against the Red Bulls and I managed to get ahead of Ricciardo, but it was hard to match the pace of Kvyat. Towards the end of the race I had to save the tyres, the brakes and fuel, so I just had to make sure I brought the car home.”
Robert Fernley, Deputy Team Principal
“It’s encouraging to see another strong performance from the VJM08 and to come away from Montreal by adding four more points to our tally. Nico has been impressive all weekend and eighth place is a well-deserved result following an excellent drive. Sergio just missed out on the points, but he wasn’t particularly happy with the car balance and in such a straightforward race there were no opportunities to use the strategy to our advantage. The points’ standings in the midfield are very tight and we are just a couple of points adrift of fifth place. The whole team has worked extremely hard to extract performance from the VJM08 and we are optimistic of adding more speed in the races to come. So there’s plenty to look forward to as we approach the middle of the season.”

Formula1.com 
 

Canadian GP - Qualifying - Force India Quotes

Nico Hulkenberg, 7th
“It was definitely a good day in the office, both for me and for the team with two cars inside the top ten. Seventh is my best qualifying result so far this year, which is really encouraging as we look ahead to the race. The car has been performing well since the start of practice and I think we have a great opportunity to score some good points tomorrow. The task ahead is still going to be challenging because there are some very quick cars around us and we will have a real fight on our hands tomorrow. It will be crucial to get the strategy calls right because the rain yesterday means we don’t have all the data to answer the questions on tyre life. But I think we’re in pretty good shape; I‘m feeling confident and looking forward to a competitive race.”


Sergio Perez, 10th
“It’s been a promising day and a great effort by the team to have two cars in Q3. At the same time I am not satisfied with my performance because I think I could have been higher than P10. In fact my fastest time in Q2 was much better than my Q3 time, so it’s a bit disappointing. I was just struggling to get temperature into my tyres during my out lap in Q3 and I didn’t have the grip when I needed it. However, I must look forward because I am still in P10 and that’s a good place to start. I’m feeling optimistic of moving forward and scoring some good points. We haven’t been able to do many long runs so there are still some unknowns about the race, but we’ve shown good pace all weekend and I believe we can do the same tomorrow.”

Robert Fernley, Deputy Team Principal
“It’s been a great effort by the team to get both Nico and Sergio inside the top ten today. The car has been well balanced around here since the first session yesterday, so it was a matter of building on the data we got overnight to continue improving the set-up. Nico did a brilliant job in all three qualifying sessions, improving his times with each run and extracting all he could from the VJM08. Sergio's Q2 time would have placed him just behind Nico, so there's a bit of disappointment that he is starting behind the two Red Bulls, but P10 is a good result nonetheless. This is a track where overtaking is possible and we've been near the top of the speed traps, so we will need to capitalise on that to try and move forward and bring home a good haul of points. Races are often very unpredictable here in Canada, so it should be a very interesting Sunday afternoon.”

Formula1.com 
 

Exclusive Nico Hulkenberg Q&A: My future is in F1

When he burst onto the F1 scene with a stellar CV in the junior series, many earmarked Nico Hulkenberg for the top. And while a seat at a top team hasn't opened up yet, he says his impending Le Mans 24 Hours bow isn't a distraction - for the German, becoming an F1 world champion is still very much the goal...

 Q: Nico, your team principal Vijay Mallya indicated that he would like to keep the current driver line-up for next season. What about your plans?

Nico Hulkenberg: First things first - this is June. I have a very busy month. Montreal this weekend, next weekend the 24 Hours of Le Mans, followed by the Austrian Grand Prix – that reads busy, busy, busy, so no real time for too much thinking back and forth. On top of that the driver carousel is not really in motion. Right now we are waiting for our upgrade that is due for Silverstone and that hopefully will propel the second half of our season. And good results are the best argument for any job-hopping. One thing is clear: my thoughts are still based around F1. I'd like to have a few more years here. Where, how and what – that's much too early to say. But if Vijay says so, it is a nice line for us drivers.

Q: For years you have seemed poised to make the leap to one of the big teams. Are you still hanging on to this idea?
NH: I came to F1 with the clear target to win races and eventually become world champion – every driver's ambition is this in the first place. But we also know that you need the right tool – and that is the right car! To come back to your question, yes it is still my target. So far it hasn't happened, but anyone who knows me knows that I am a fighter and I will keep on fighting and looking for my opportunity. 

Q: How important is the 'right time right place' aspect? Everybody agrees that you are a superb talent but are still running after your first podium...
NH: Timing is crucial. And you need an element of luck. Timing is important for the pieces to fall into the right places.

Q: Are you following the contractual situation of other drivers, to know when it is worth knocking at certain doors?
NH: Of course you keep an eye on these things. Sometimes it is not so clear what the real situation is as driver contracts are not posted on the next wall or tree! (laughs) But yes, you need to have a good idea when a possible door could open. You need to be ready.
  
Q: If you look at the driver situation right now there is a huge gap between the highest earners and the rest. Does that also reflect the performance differences or just better deal making?
NH: I think it reflects more the performance. And some teams have deeper pockets and can afford huge payments. 

Q: Vijay Mallya said that he doesn't really believe there is much difference in the skills of somebody who earns five million a year - maybe meaning you - and somebody who makes closer to forty-five million...
NH: Well, that is down to market value, because at one point the teams spend more money but won't necessarily get better quality. In general all F1 drivers are good and there are only details that are separating us - and that is when market value comes into the game. In the end it is a question of demand and supply!

Q: A penny for your thoughts on your season so far. What adjective would you use? Unhappy, unsatisfied, impatient...?
NH: Definitely impatient - and curious to see the new car and the new parts on the car, and experience them. So far we haven't had the season we wanted. We are clearly behind our expectations. Having said that we are sixth in the constructors' championship right now, and not too far away from fifth. Given our car we have done pretty well! And from here on it is going better. We have a good spirit in the team, and good people.

Q: Monaco saw Force India in the points again. Why was the race better for Checo than for you? He says it's his favourite track, but does that really make the difference?
NH: My lap one incident with Fernando [Alonso] was the killer for my race – otherwise I am pretty sure I would have finished in the points. But looking back a bit: for the last two to three races I didn't have the best of runs, for various reasons. That is how I feel but as I said earlier I am a fighter and will bounce back. 

Q: We saw in Monaco that Lewis Hamilton lost the race due to a strategy mistake. How often have you been a victim of something similar?
NH: There is no rule of thumb. Looking back in my career I had a few occasions as well, but that is racing. You are a team, and you win and lose together. We are only humans. In that Lewis case there were some unlucky things related to the safety car. Sure it should not happen every second weekend, but yes it happens – although seldom is it as hyped as in the Lewis case. But that is also part of Monaco, because it's the big stage.

Q: Last year you finished fifth here in Montreal. What is in the car this weekend?
NH: I have good vibes that it will be a top 10 finish again and that I will bag some points. This morning it was much better than I had expected: the car felt good, the balance was right and we were able to tick a lot of boxes knowing that rain would hit in the afternoon. My prediction is that we both should have a promising weekend that will keep us in contention with the teams ahead of us – that we beat Sauber and keep McLaren at bay. I love this track – maybe the same as Checo has with Monaco! If that is not a good starting point, what is?

Q: At the beginning you mentioned the upgrades that are announced for Silverstone – what will they be able to do?
NH: To make us bounce back to our usual performance level. Right now we are definitely below our value. And as there are enough races after Silverstone, theoretically and mathematically, I could still become world champion this season! (laughs)

Formula1.com 
 

 

CanadianGP - Friday - Force India Quotes

Nico Hulkenberg
FP1 - 4th, FP2 - 11th
"I’m feeling pretty positive about today. The car has performed well so far and I’m fairly happy with the balance and confident with the performance. In fact, right from the first lap of practice, I’ve been feeling comfortable in the car. The afternoon session was obviously interrupted because of the rain. We knew it was coming so we tried to do as much as we could before it arrived. I’m feeling happy about what we learned today and we have a good chance to have a strong weekend."
Sergio Perez
FP1 - 13th, FP2 - 14th
"We did a lot of work this morning trying different downforce levels because it’s very important to make sure you have enough straight-line speed for Sunday. The second session was very rushed because we knew the rain was coming. We went out straightaway on the supersoft tyres and the track had very low grip. I also did a long run on the supersoft which gave us the data we needed. Overall I’m feeling optimistic for the weekend: I’ve got a good feeling with the car so we just need to keep up this rhythm and get a good starting position tomorrow."
Robert Fernley, Deputy Team Principal

"Both Nico and Sergio were pretty happy with the car balance right from the off and so we simply focussed on making small improvements here and there. We also experimented with various wing levels to find the optimum balance for qualifying and the race. We knew that the forecast was suggesting rain this afternoon so we carried out some longer runs at the end of the morning session to get the data in the bank. In the afternoon it became clear the rain was going to arrive quite early so the priority was to get an understanding of the supersoft tyre. We managed that with Sergio, but unfortunately Nico’s run was cut short, which meant we only had the long run data from one car. On the whole I think we’re reasonably well prepared for tomorrow. The grid is always very tight here with small margins so hopefully we can build on the promise shown today."

Formula1.com 

CanadianGP - Preview - Force India Quotes

Nico Hulkenberg
"I am looking forward to getting back to racing in Canada after leaving Monaco empty-handed. The track in Montreal should be one that suits us. It's a power circuit because of the long straights and you need good traction to get out of the low-speed corners. To be quick you need to attack the kerbs and be brave enough to get close to the walls. We will have soft and supersoft tyres again, which worked quite well for us in Monaco, so I think we can target points this weekend.

"It's an unusual circuit, but I enjoy driving there and I really like the Canadian Grand Prix as an event. It's one of my favourite races of the year. The city is cool, with a great buzz, and everybody gives us a warm welcome. There's definitely a special feeling throughout the city during Grand Prix week."

Sergio Perez
"I'm very positive at the moment. I feel I'm driving at my best and getting the most from every race. Monaco was pretty much a perfect weekend in terms of maximising our potential. I don't think I could have come away with more from that race. So it was a very satisfying result for the whole team. Montreal is one of my favourite tracks. I still remember my podium there in 2012 - that was such a special result. Last year's race was also one of my best, until the final lap! It was a race we had a real chance to win, but things just didn't go our way in the end.

"Montreal is a race where anything can happen and it's quite unpredictable. You need to be brave and keep fighting all the way. I hope this year we can be strong once again. It's definitely a power track where the engine counts for a lot and the circuit always produces a good race."

Vijay Mallya, team principal

"Coming away from Monaco with six points was a fantastic result. I've been saying we need to maximise our opportunities and continue picking up points, and that's exactly what we delivered in Monaco. Sergio was outstanding all weekend and we could not have asked any more of him. It was a very mature performance and a well-deserved result. Nico also showed his class, but bad luck kept him just outside the points. 

"The team is in a good place as we head to Canada. We've often gone well in Montreal and it's one of those races where anything can happen – as we saw last year with Sergio challenging for the victory. The track layout means it should be one of our better circuits so it's another opportunity to continue our fight for fifth place in the championship."

Formula1.com